High school athletes hope rituals lead to better on-field performance

Professional athletes have popularized many superstitious rituals. Meanwhile, teenage athletes throughout the area have their own game day habits.

By Sam RogersVoice Correspondent

Sacred Heart-Griffin High quarterback Gabe Green gives each of his teammates a high five before games.

The junior helped lead the Cyclones to an Illinois High School Association 5A state championship. Though his talent speaks for itself, Gabe isn't without superstition.

Professional athletes popularize their own rituals. The Miami Heat's LeBron James tosses chalk in the air before each game, while retired NFL player Ray Lewis did an intense dance while running onto the field.

Meanwhile, teenage athletes throughout the area have their own game day habits.

Gabe takes his rituals seriously. Each year, he sits by the same people at the team's annual dinner. He plays catch with the same people before games.

Like Gabe, SHG junior running back Anthony DiNello believes his pre-game rituals make a difference. When Anthony arrives at the Cyclones' locker room hours before a game, he eats four Gummi bears all at once. He then eats another five Gummi bears at once.

But, Anthony only eats the bodies of the bears. He hasn't eaten a Gummi head since he was a child.

“Ever since I was 5 years old, I would eat Gummi bears with my mom, but I would only eat the body and she would only eat the head,” he said.

The teen also keeps a dime in his left cleat for good luck in memory of his great uncle, Frank. When Anthony was young, his great uncle would give him dimes.

At Rochester High, senior defensive end and four-time state champion Evan McMinn is known for his rituals. Evan wore the same equipment all four years on the team.

He also refused to cut his hair at the beginning of every football season, waiting until the last Friday in November when he and his fellow Rockets captured their state titles. In addition, Evan listened to the same playlist every game day. By the time Rochester High pulled into the parking lot at opposing schools, Evan had “Highway to Hell” by AC/DC booming.

The teen also meditated before each game.

“By doing this (meditation), I can control the flow of adrenaline throughout my body. Usually by the start of a game, I can't feel my wrists or face,” Evan said.

Rituals vs. superstitions

Rituals are not necessarily bad — and may even have a positive psychological impact. According to a WebMD.com article, some coaches don't mind if their athletes follow rituals if the rituals calm down their players before and during games.

That same article points out the difference between rituals and superstitions. Rituals have more to do with routine — doing the same thing to prepare before a game. Superstitions typically associate a random occurrence as the cause for a particular event.

Few athletes are as superstitious as golfers.

On the links, Sacred Heart's state meet qualifying golfer Hayley Reed always eats a peanut butter and jelly sandwich in the middle of the 11th hole during her matches. A senior, Hayley said she sticks with the sandwiches to finish out the round strongly.

Springfield High School junior golfer and two-time City Tournament champion Sam Funderburg is also very superstitious about his game. Funderburg, a qualifier for the 2013 state golf competition, always wears the same hat during tournament play and always hits with the same four clubs in warm-ups on the driving range.

Meanwhile, SHG senior soccer captain and high jumper Andrew Hoffmann always dumps a cup of water on his head and then leads the team in a “Hail Mary” and “Our Queen of Victory” prayer chants before soccer matches.